Down

The skiff bumps against the dock, and I help Allie out onto the ground. She attempts to walk on her own, but her feet wobble, and she nearly falls over. I catch her by the shoulder and carry her over to the group. A few of the women rush forward to take her; giving her rags and a few other things to cover herself with.

"Take care of her. She's my sister-in-law." I tell the women.

They nod as they cover her and soothe her. They

"Mister cat!"

"Private Lawrence. Is this everyone?"

"It is. How are things with...you know." I eye the Efrans; separated by the humans.

"They're friendly enough. At least the one that I've talked to. The little cat thing."

With that, the Ir commander approaches us.

"My name is Night."

"Night? Really? How is that spelled?" I had learned in my conversations with them that though their names sounded like familiar things, they were always spelled differently. Mostly at the prompting of the Efran children bragging about how they could spell their own names.

"N-Y-T, why?"

"No reason. And yes, the plan is to free the rest of the prisoners down below and liberate the town. After that, we'll hunker down until midnight, when reinforcements will come, then once the apostle is dealt with I'll have the reinforcements and the general here," I motion to the older man next to me, "will lead you to the door out of here."

"You have to destroy the town?"

I nod.

"To open the door to the other side again."

"I'm sorry to say, but the door should be open right now." She says.

"What do you mean?"

"Earthen blood has been spilled here. That sets the anchor."

Was that it? Then when the White Wolf said that the plan was to kill the three of us and rush through...that means that someone in authority at the compound was feeding the White Wolf information. Who? Ortega? Janet? I tap my foot. I'll find out, and I'll kill them. Regardless of who they were. They were responsible for all of this human suffering here. I glance at my emaciated father, seated with his once broad back pressed against the stone peaks, and my sister-in-law, cradling her stomach where what would have been my nephew or niece had been.

"I see, and?"

"Let me come along." She says, "I can stay out of the way. I can fight, whatever."

"Why? It'll be safer up here."

"Call it a matter of pride." The Ir says, "I was charged by my predecessor to defend this place to the last, and I failed. I wish, at least, to make amends for that, and there's something down there that I need to find."

I mull it over for a second. To be a commander of a military order, they must have had some sort of combat experience, right?

"Do you know how to get these boats down?" I motion to the waterfall.

That was a hitch in my plan. I don't think I'd survive if I just jumped. The general begins to speak up, but he's cut off by the Ir.

"I do. But I'll only tell you how if I get to come along."

"Okay, deal."

The Ir's cat-like face splits in a wide smile.

"Let's go." It says as it hops into a boat.

"Are you leaving, Nyt?" The small Ir that I had caught says as it approaches the boat.

One of the children — the Ir that I had caught falling from the tree, moved by the gathered humans they drew in as if to not touch it.

"You're leaving, Nyt?"

"I am. Just temporarily here. I'm glad to see that you made it through this, Ik."

The older Ir cradled the chin of the younger.

"I'll be back, I promise."

"Okay. Promise?" The ginger Ir says.

"I promise."

While they were speaking, I climb onto the boat.

"The signal will be a flare in the sky. You'll notice it, I promise. Ah, wait, does one of you know how to get down?"

"Yes. It's easy." The General says with a sigh.

"Yeah, any of us could do it." A man in the group says.

Was I tricked? I glance to the Ir at the bow of the boat, who grins wickedly as it pushes the boat into motion. As we near the edge the boat tips and begins its descent. The sails glow green as they billow and slow the fall. The wind whips by loudly; like the roar of a jet engine, but the speed at which we fall is comparable to an elevator more than it is a freefall.

"The sails are made of a special type of leaf that contains wind mana in it." The Ir says.

I wonder if I could strip one of the sails...could make a nice robe, or cloak or something. A reward after all this is done, maybe. Ah. What would Wilhelm charge? This scale patch over my left eye and the sleeveless jerkin cost so much money...but the white, almost feathery look would make a nice contrast with the black scales, wouldn't it? Yeah... I think I will. I could probably sell the rest for quite a bit of money...

As we set down on the waters below, I push those thoughts out of my mind and draw my wand. The watch tower had long since been consumed by the fire that I had initially used as a distraction, but a good number of rat and dogmen were gathered near, sifting through the ashes.

"What's the plan," Nyt whispered, even and low, so that its voice didn't drift off the waters. "Are we doing this quietly?"

Quiet would be best. At least until we can ensure the safety of the prisoners. I tell the Ir to row towards the banks near the woods. The boat, masked by the heavy, ever-present fog, vanished as it set down in the woods, and I drag it onto the shore.